


I Had To Go

by slytherco



Series: 25 Days of Drarry [7]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Angst with a soft ending, Auror Harry Potter, Christmas, Christmas Angst, Crying, Curse Breaker Draco Malfoy, Fights, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, have I mentioned I'm awful at titles?, yes i have
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-10
Updated: 2019-12-10
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:14:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21748849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slytherco/pseuds/slytherco
Summary: Day 7 of 25 Days of Drarry.Prompt: “I’m just happy you’re here.”---On the day before Christmas, Draco is called off to work. They have a nasty fight and later, Harry finds out Draco was taken to St. Mungo's.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Series: 25 Days of Drarry [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1559188
Comments: 13
Kudos: 303





	I Had To Go

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr](https://slytherco.tumblr.com/post/189597176603/25-days-of-drarry-day-7)

Ron and Hermione shared a  _ Look _ . He knew what The Look meant. He had fucked up yet again and there he was, fuming, in their living room, rolling his wand between his fingers. He had almost snapped it in half when he came, thankfully, Hermione pried it from his hand on time. Sitting on the coffee table was a glass of Firewhisky which Ron had wordlessly poured. He took a sip and it burned his mouth, almost to the point of choking. So he took another swig, forced down the whole glass like penance, welcoming the sting in his throat. 

It was the night before Christmas and they had another fight. Another foolish, pointless, vicious fight and then, Draco left for work. Again. He was supposed to stay home, he wasn’t fully recovered after his last job in the field, he had promised. And in response, Draco snarled that Harry’s not the only one who is allowed to put his life on the line. That they needed an experienced Curse Breaker, and that  _ Draco  _ will be back home safe but if they don’t disarm the unstable spellwork,  _ someone _ might not be. Harry's throat was sore from screaming, begging Draco to  _ fucking think _ . His hands were stiff from pressing the other man against the wall, trying to shake some sense into him. His stomach hurt because when Draco yelled that he needs to go, he sent him off with a  _ Don’t bother coming back. _

His friends were quiet, sensing he wasn’t ready to talk. They probably knew, anyway. His fights with Draco had become somewhat of a recurring theme and it all boiled down to them doing their jobs. If asked, Harry wouldn’t be able to tell why it was different with him. Harry knew he could die on the job. But Draco was a different story. He wasn’t allowed to get hurt. Harry stubbornly refused to dwell on it; it was different. It just  _ was. _

The heavy atmosphere in the room lingered over them like smoke, bitter and suffocating. He was grateful for his friends who didn’t make him talk or leave. However, enough was enough and Hermione cleared her throat. Whatever she was going to say was interrupted by a loud roar coming from the Floo. All three of them started when Kingsley’s head appeared in the hearth. 

“Weasley! Is Potter with you?”, he bellowed, without preamble.

Harry was in front of the fireplace in a second. His heart thumped painfully, once, twice. “Kingsley, I’m here. Is everything ok?”

“Potter, where the hell were you? It’s Malfoy. He’s at Mungo’s-”

Harry didn’t hear anything else. His vision went blurry. His ears were ringing so loud, it drowned out everything else; Hermione was screaming at him as someone squeezed his arm. He barely registered any of it because there was only one urge driving him now: crippling, overwhelming fear. 

His legs were about to give out but Harry stood up. And then, he disapparated.

***

Harry didn’t remember apparating right on the fourth floor.  _ Spell Damage,  _ the sign over the arched entrance was like a knife to his gut, mocking him. He saw a flash of lime green robes and he ran after the healer. He heard some screams and footsteps behind him but there wasn’t time. He didn’t remember grabbing the startled young healer and asking about Draco. Ron and Hermione caught up with him, there was arguing. Ron flashed his Auror badge. 

It felt like a lucid dream. Unable to control his movements, Harry shook with fury and dread. He wasn’t thinking - his mind was just a stream of consciousness with only Draco’s name, like a mantra, pleading, terrified.  _ No, no, no, no. Please be alive. Please. I’m sorry. I will do anything, anything, but don’t you dare be dead, you stubborn, reckless bastard. Don’t you dare. _

The nearest chair started rattling, the sound ominous in the empty corridor. Harry wasn’t controlling his magic anymore so they sat him down and poured a vial of blue liquid down his throat. Calming Draught. His breathing slowed, as the potion relaxed his muscles and the burning panic dropped down to a simmer.

There was a gentle hand on his shoulder. “He’s alive, Harry. We pulled a lot of strings tonight, but they’ll let you in as soon as they stabilize him.”

After an hour of heavy silence and nervous fidgeting, a healer emerged from the room.

“Mister Potter, you can see Mister Malfoy now”, his voice was dry and Harry felt a small prickle of shame for his outburst. Brushing it off, he jumped from his seat and rushed into the room.

Draco was lying in a hospital bed, his eyes closed. His arm and torso were bandaged, and his face was littered in cuts and bruises. Harry felt bile rise in his throat, seeing all the diagnostic charms chiming around Draco. He looked so weak and fragile, and it punched Harry’s breath out of his lungs. He approached with caution, sitting on a stool next to the bed. He took one of Draco’s hands in his and kissed each knuckle, then, his wrist, reassurance engulfing him like a warm blanket. He was alive. Harry’s slow exhales soon turned into shaking sobs and he couldn’t stop, his heart pounding frantically, almost convulsing, in profound relief.  _ He was alive. _

“Fuck, Draco”, he whispered, face wet with tears he didn’t dare shed until that moment.

There was a soft breath and Draco’s cold fingers twitched. “Harry.”

Harry was trying to calm himself down but he was babbling. “I’m here, I’m here, Draco, I’m sorry”, he squeezed the other man’s hand, whispering in an urgent tone. “I’m so sorry. I thought I lost you, and I was so scared.” He took a deep breath, collecting himself. “I didn’t mean what I said, I regretted it the minute you left. Draco, fuck, I would never forgive myself-”

“Harry, it’s all right”, Draco cut in, his voice still weak. “I’m okay. Everything is okay.”

Harry looked at his white hair spilling onto the pillow like a halo, his silvery eyes gleaming with sadness. Draco spoke again, his voice full of guilt.

“You were right. But I was stubborn, and stupid, and I didn’t listen, and now…”

“No”, Harry interrupted. “No, love, I was a hypocrite. And I’m so sorry. Draco, I will never let this happen again”, Harry kissed his knuckles again, then his forehead. 

“I had to go. Harry, I had to, I-”

“I know. You’re okay and that’s all that matters. We can talk later.”

The other man sniffed. “I’m sorry.”

His hand was in Draco’s hair, gently stroking his head. “Don’t be. I’m just glad you’re safe.”

“And I’m glad you’re here. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas, Draco.”


End file.
